Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-06-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WAsHiNGTOS May 23rd, 1887.
To-day more than q thousand tents
whiten the greensward that stretches
around the Washington Monument.
The troops are now all here who in
tended to participate in the National
Drill, and they represent the Alabama,
Arkansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Da-
kota, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa. Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts,, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, New Hamp-
shire, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Rhode
Island, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia,
Washington Territory and the District
of Columbia.
The Drill opened this morning, but
the day was consumed by some formali-
ties such as naming the camp, issuing
orders, receiving the latest arrivals Ol
troops etc, and this evening there was
a dress parade by all of the organi.
cations encamped, but the competitive
drill begins tomorrow. The soldiers
here represent the flower of the Nation.
al Guard Oftheir States, and many of the
commands are noted for their excellent
discipline, and won trophies in State
and interstate drills.
Such camp has not been seen in
this country since the veterans
of the civil war broke their camp
in '65. Now the soldiers of the
North, South, East and West assemble
in one camp and contend in friendly
strife for the tropics of the peaceful
drill ground. The week will be exceed
ing lively in Washington. 1t will be
filled with events, brilliant street page
ants, attractive drills, reviews and street
parades.
Washington can boast in superlative
language of many things. 1t has the
largest public buildings, the most beau
tiful streets, the widest and the smooth
est pavements, the finest public
grounds, the greatest number of shade
trees and fountains and statues, the
highest monument, and many other
things the most wonderful and best and
biggest" of their kind, and now it adds
to the list the largest competitive drill.
Up to this time the greatest gathering
of the kind was at "Camp r. G. Drum
in Mobile, two years ago, but the Ma
tional Drill exceeds that more than
three fold in the number of military
bodies that will take part.
The good people of Washington are
rejoicing that the order permitting
the sale of intoxicating liquors on the
drill ground has been revoked. The
bar privilege of the ground had been
sold by the Drill committee for ST 800
but it is settled that only temperance
drinks shall be dispensed at the refresh
ment counter under the grand stand
this week. The revocation of the priv
iIege has been attributed to the inf1u-
ence of the President through the efforts
Ofsome ladies of the w. T. G. u, who
called upon him to interfere, and also
to suggestion from the Commissioner
of public grounds to the effect that the
War Department Ito which the drill
ground belongs) would be gratified if
the committee would exclude intoxica-
ting liquors. But from what source the
influence may have come, most people
were pleased with final decision and ac-
ton of the Nation Drill Committee.
After the close of the Drill the Presi-
dent will take vacation ofabout ten
days, accompanied by Mrs. Cleveland,
Colonel Lamont ard his family. They
will go to Saranac Lake, where the fish
ing is said to be good at this season. 1t
is said they will go on the second of
June, which is the anniversary of the
President'slmarriage. Doubtless he feels
the need of rest, and the event could
not, probably, be celebrated in a way
more agreeable to him.
The financial situation has been de-
a great deal of the Presidents
time and attention of late, as indeed, it
is the most important question now be-
fore him. On last Wednesday night
the Secretary of the Treasury remained
at the White House until two O'Clock in
the morning, talking over the matter
with him. He is being urged by the
advocates of tariff reduction to call an
extra session of Congress early in the
fall for the purpose of considering
revenue measures. But Secretary Fair
child is 50 safe and conservative a man
ager that there can be no real cause of
alarm concerning the stringency of the
money market, whether Congress is
specially convened or not. Besides the
powers are sufficient, under
existing laws to enable him to ward off
any threatened danger. In the worst
that can be imagined he is
at liberty to step into the open market
and buy bonds for Government account.